The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-09-22
Snake Bite.
tinr, Iift]

Inc OLQer Qay, Wuuo un1sAuk Nv StsASssssNssf
station in Hall County for an Air. Line
passenger train, the station agent, who
also looked after the express and gas
section boss, too, and the POSTMASTER, who
was the proprietor Of q small scounns s:
store, were Willing away the time ins
talking about snakes spscially rattle:
snakes. A negro man few minutes
before had killed what was unanimously
pronounced a ground rattlesnake, q yaris
ETY. unfamiliar to the writer. Il
The dead snake was small, having only
one rattle and a button, but it was gener
ally agreed that the variety never gts
larger and seldom, if over, had more q
ties. It's bite was declared bad enop
but not as fatal as the bite of the lal
rattlesnakes, the one generally know
people. Es'
"What would youdo ifyou were bisten$ 8
by rattlesnakefp I inquired Of fhs5
postmaster.
"Well, would send some ono ono f6
Gainesville as fast as he could git @s5
for corn whisky. You may say jisth
you please agin corn whisky bns
snake bites, and especially , ratas -!
bites, thar is nothing that I knows Of fofS So
sartin that can come anywhere near corn
whisky"
"But wouldn't you die before 4 man
could go to Gainesville six miles and
back with the whisky q" q
"Well, I expect I'd gitsoHersick afofesS'
he could git back, but I'd git aichicken
black chickens is regarded as specially,
efikashus in sich instances, and cut s1t
open, and slap one.half to the bite and
afore you knowed it you'GG see that sSs' S
chicken turnin' green, and then you'd
know it was doing its work. Keep q putsss3
ting raw chicken to the bite until thss;
whisky comes" \
"But suppose you did not hasss
chicken?" ;s;s:ss 'ssss
"Well, Ihave hearn toll that speht
turpentine was powerful handy. Yo
Jest uncork the bottle and put the necf
over the bite, and turn her up; keepia
1t pressed sorter hard on the placs z!
keep it from spillin out, yon knoH g
the first thing you knowed you'd
that ar pisen going right straigh mp t6a
bottle in thin green streak. Isge ses
hit myself; it goest up jest like lie gos
down in the water. T.
"But suppose you had no turpentins
what then? ?" IA
The postmaster thought long and letos
iriously, and his FRIEND, /, the section boss
grew nervous at the thought thar aItsE
all the biggest man in the settlement xas
going to be downed by o question from
stranger, but in moment OF sol; llle
answer came.
GIVE hearn Aunt Sally Brooks over
t'other side Of the Glade say that swseE
milk and cuckle burrs was q poRefinE
remedy in such cases. I haint neyeIs
tried hit myself, but Aunt Sally 3has 4 !
mighty good reputashum in the ssettl
ment for sich matters. !" Is2
"Salt water is mighty good, tooig
the section boss, "but it's powerful agssj|; IS
gravative to keep it down in sich cases
Uncle Billy Hulsey, last May, three
years ago, was bitten by ttlesnaks
that had thirteen rattles and y button
and he was skeered powerful nigh tos
death; thar ,warn't no whisky ID the set
Element, and nobody thought Of
chicken. Tom Samson, he got on Jim
Purdue's gray mare and put ont stors;;
Gainesville, and while he rode powerful Hss
hard, he was nigh on to three heafs
gittin back. Ireckon Uncie Billy would
died, but his dater Jane, unbek knogn
sent over for Aunt Sally Brooks, and sbe
took the snake and cutit upsinto Il ipoNs
erful sight of pieces and took k'enF Fputop
after another to the bite. Il drswsd
all the pizen, and Uncle Billy dMn,t die,
but he was mighty sick, specially J:
the whisky come"
"Did he drink it?"
"I'll be blamed if lie didn't swallow 81 d
nigh onto half a gallon, aud it teok
the boys to keep him from cleaning s
the whole settlement" g. AZ n
"My honest advice" said the postnaa1
ter, after short pause, .is that taese
other things is mighty good when yel
can't get nothing else, but there ain
nothing like good corn whisky, y beat
anything yit that is knowed Of fur suake)
bites."